What Donald Trump's Debate-Rivaling Rally Says About His Candidacy

[groundloop]

Source: Mother Jones

When Donald Trump announced, with just two days' notice, that instead of attending the Republican debate Thursday night he would host a rival event at Drake University in Des Moines, the question was, would his supporters flock to him? Would they come from across the city, the state, even around the country to see him?

Judging from the line outside his event, billed as a fundraiser to support veterans, it seemed that they had. The queue stretched so far back that you couldn't make out the end of it, and people waited in the cold for hours to get in (and many were ultimately turned away when the venue reached capacity). If Trump could muster this much support at a moment's notice, you would think he should be well on his way to winning the Iowa caucuses. But on further inspection, the impressive crowd was composed largely of Drake University students, few of whom actually seemed prepared to caucus for Trump—or even to caucus at all.

"I'm just here cause I think he's hilarious," said one Drake student, who declined to give her name. Her friend, a 20-year-old Drake student wearing a "Make America Great Again" baseball cap, agreed. The reason "Drake students are attending tonight is more the comedic factor," she said. "We've had all these very serious events with random raffles and drawings, and then Trump shows up on campus and he gives out around 3,000 tickets on an app to an event happening in an auditorium that holds around 700 people."

........Near the back of the line were two older-looking men, whom I approached thinking they might be Trump die-hards. "No, by no means," said one of them when I asked if he would vote for Trump. "I'm curious about the experience, and I'm curious about his supporters." He won't be caucusing on Monday, but if he were, he would go for Bernie Sanders. His friend, who also did not want his name in print, said he had been "dragged" to the event and was supporting Democrat Martin O'Malley. "We're few and proud," he said. His second choice is Hillary Clinton.

Read more: http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/01/what-donald-trumps-anti-fox-rally-says-about-his-candidacy

[Archae]

1. Except Trump's "event" is bogus.

Like everything else about trump.

http://crooksandliars.com/2016/01/trumps-anti-debate-event-tonight-raising

[groundloop]

4. Absolutely... issuing 3000 tickets to a 700 seat venue ... unbelievable 'fundraising' claims.....

Phony 'veterans organizations' that funnel money to super PACs, and on and on and on. There's no way in hell his little charade last night raised the $5 Million he claimed. The only thing genuine about T-Rump is his bigotry.

[murielm99]

8. It is not the first time

he has done something like that. I think he is trying to force confrontations in the streets.

I dislike comparisons to Nazi Germany and brownshirts, but I think it applies in his case.

[JudyM]

2. 3000 tix for 700 seats. Way to manipulate people.

[Jack Rabbit]

5. I'm sure the local fire department was thrilled

not.

[JudyM]

6. Right. Not Trump's problem.

[OnlinePoker]

3. I was flipping through channels waiting for something else and CNN had the beginning

Even before he started talking, the first people were kicked out of the place. No idea what they said or did, but they were escorted out of the top tear of the auditorium quite quickly. The funny thing is, even though CNN had it as "breaking news" and was a live shot of the event, all they had was talking heads babbling while Grump was speaking in the background, unheard by the viewing audience.

[vkkv]

7. Too FUNNY!! K&R